Honors Chemistry

This course is designed to give students an appreciation of creation and of the order and complexity of atoms and their interactions with each other. The "Core Chemistry" track will emphasize the basic chemical interactions between atoms, compounds, and molecules while the "Honors Chemistry" track will delve more deeply into the theoretical, mathematical, and organic chemical processes.

This course provides an introduction to chemistry suitable for students in a college preparatory program. The honors track is aimed for students who have previously had a solid background in physical science. A student who still wishes to pursue this course as an honors course that did not follow the recommended course of study for physical science may find that the pace of the course very quick and should be sure to allot extra time for their studies.

This course is typically done in 10th or 11th grade and includes the following topics: matter and change, scientific measurement, atomic structure, the Periodic Table, ionic, metallic, and covalent bonding, chemical names and formulas, balancing chemical equations, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, states of matter, gas behavior, water and aqueous systems, solutions, thermochemistry, reaction rates and equilibrium, acids, bases and salts, oxidation-reduction reactions, electrochemistry, hydrocarbon compounds, alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds, carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, nucleic acids, and nuclear chemistry. Lab work is suggested throughout the lesson plan through the use of the Virtual Lab CD and labs in the textbook that do not require extensive materials. Alternately, a parent may choose to utilize the labs that occur in the textbook for lab credit.

Students taking this course for Kolbe Honors (OH) credit are expected to complete daily assignments, participate in class, and complete periodic exams and quizzes as assigned by their instructor. Kolbe Honors (OH) students will go into more depth and cover more material than the Kolbe Core (OK) students. All requirements are assigned and graded by the instructor.